Evangelistic jazz event

The Roots of Jazz

Sound and lighting support for a live jazz event that brings together professional musicianship and the gospel.

“ Mark and his team have a been an absolute joy to work with over the last 10 years. I have never worked with an engineering team who have been so accommodating, understanding and professional.
The joy of working with Mark is that he is totally dedicated to supporting our event, being flexible and relational throughout.
Mark is fully committed to producing the highest quality in whatever scenario and venue he finds himself in, even putting up with a bit of nonsense from me and the rest of the band! ”

Jon Herring Creator, The Roots of Jazz

Wide view of The Roots of Jazz on stage in a large hall lit in blue

Mixing desk and control screens during a Roots of Jazz event

The Roots of Jazz musicians performing with purple stage lighting

Round church interior transformed with purple lighting for The Roots of Jazz

Trumpet player and bassist performing together at The Roots of Jazz

Mixing position set up in a church hall for The Roots of Jazz

The Roots of Jazz band performing on a theatre stage with blue lighting

Keyboard setup on stage at The Roots of Jazz with a close up of a Christmas decoration

Audience seated around tables for The Roots of Jazz in a blue-lit church

Video camera filming The Roots of Jazz band on stage

Audience watching The Roots of Jazz in a church lit with pink uplighting

Saxophonist playing a solo on stage under blue spotlights

Sound desk view of a traditional church venue washed in pink light

Wide church interior with The Roots of Jazz performing under pink lighting

Technical control position overlooking a Roots of Jazz event around tables

Mixing desk view toward The Roots of Jazz band and audience

The Roots of Jazz band performing in a round church interior lit red

Sound and lighting control position behind the audience in a church venue

Audience seated at tables during a Roots of Jazz event with purple stage lighting

Photography: Harry McCrossan, Roger Pickard, Mark Daniel

The Event

The Roots of Jazz was created by Jon Herring in 2015. It's an evangelistic event featuring a live, six piece, professional Jazz band and a narration exploring the influence and impact the gospel message had on the development of Jazz. It traces themes of suffering, hope and freedom through both biblical history and the history of slavery in America.

The Need

When Jon had the idea for the event he was studying at Oak Hill College, he was a training to be a pastor and previously taught music. He had a great idea, he was a professional communicator and was able to put together a band of professional musicians but he realised to maximise the impact of the event he needed it to look and sound great as well.

Through a mutual friend Jon got in touch and M Daniel Engineering was able to provide a high quality sound and lighting system and professional operators.

The Technical Challenge

Jazz depends on detail. Even high quality musicianship would be fundamentally undermined if the sound reinforcement didn't allow it to be heard. It needs to be clear, balanced, and responsive to the dynamics of the musicians. At the same time, the spoken elements carry the message and if either are lost the whole event becomes harder to follow and less effective. Alongside this there is the question of atmosphere; many of the venues the event visits are churches and, quite rightly, not primarily performance venues. Without careful use of lighting, they can feel flat rather than immersive. With good lighting, within a few hours, a church can be transformed to a Jazz Club.

Making It Sustainable

One of the things that has contributed to the event's longevity has been keeping it affordable. If the musicians and technical production were provided at normal commercial rates, the cost would put the event out of reach for many of the churches it is intended to serve.

We understand that and work at a substantial discount to make the event accessible for as many churches as possible without compromising quality.

The Result

By combining strong creative content with carefully considered technical support, The Roots of Jazz has been able to deliver a consistent and engaging experience in a wide variety of settings, allowing audiences to connect with both the music and the message without distraction.

Need a hand with the technical side?

Tell me about your event, the venue and what you’re hoping to do and I’ll see if I can help.

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